


A summer's day - or: Abbie the mermaid

by Sys



Category: Sleepy Hollow (TV)
Genre: Gen, I'm Sorry, Not Canon Compliant, Silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-06
Updated: 2015-09-06
Packaged: 2018-04-19 11:33:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4744766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sys/pseuds/Sys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is not my fault. I'm not the one who constantly talks about mermaid Abbie. *points* Not my idea. And it's not even a new idea. They've mentioned it before or it wouldn't have been so tempting. And as we might never get it on the show... --- This is set a while after Ichabod's return, but as it's a Hiatus fic I obviously have no idea what S3 will actually look like at that point. - Referenced episode would be 2.05 The Weeping Lady.</p>
    </blockquote>





	A summer's day - or: Abbie the mermaid

**Author's Note:**

> This is not my fault. I'm not the one who constantly talks about mermaid Abbie. *points* Not my idea. And it's not even a new idea. They've mentioned it before or it wouldn't have been so tempting. And as we might never get it on the show... --- This is set a while after Ichabod's return, but as it's a Hiatus fic I obviously have no idea what S3 will actually look like at that point. - Referenced episode would be 2.05 The Weeping Lady.

As far as Abbie Mills was concerned, mermaids didn't exist. Or if they did, which given the evidence of headless horsemen and nightmare creatures becoming reality didn't seem quite as impossible as back when she'd watched The little mermaid and Splash, there were mermaids. And there were people who did not randomly turn into mermaids out of the blue. Well not entirely out of the blue. It had required being drowned and revived. So it probably didn't just happen to people when they turned thirty or something. But whatever the cause, it had happened. Months of denial that it had had done nothing to either resolve how it had happened or to truly adapt to the fact that it had.

It was probably Crane's fault in a way. After all it was his ex-fiancé who'd drowned her. Not that that helped. She couldn't even complain about it, because that'd mean mentioning that prolonged exposure to water turned her legs into a fin, and that as curiosity had reliably informed her... breathing under water was no problem once she'd fully adapted to the new state. Perhaps it was a gift, bestowed on her to avoid further drownings. A small token of appreciation for all her work as a capital W Witness. But it still was one of those things you didn't mention in conversation. And normal length showers thankfully didn't cause the transformation. So aside from bathing and going swimming... it wasn't as if anyone would ever notice.

Only that of course it did matter by the time Jenny suggested that with the weather as hot and sticky as it was and the absolute lack of any specific threats to their lives for over a fortnight they should take a trip to the lake where they'd learned to swim and that was thankfully secluded enough to avoid drawing any crowds. Of course it wouldn't just be the two of them. No. They'd be joined by Crane and Joey. Two of the people Abbie least wanted to know about that beautiful sparkly dark blue fin that she'd only once exposed to sunlight so far... and that admittedly was really pretty to look at. Of course Jenny didn't take no for an answer to the "request" to join them. And given the company it was impossible to claim either that she couldn't swim or that she didn't like to swim. And even considering to pretend that it was her time of the month would just end in an embarrassing discussion on how that wasn't a problem and didn't she ever hear of tampons?

So eventually she ended up sitting beside a happily humming cooling box with Ichabod thankfully banned into the backseat with her, as a small consolation. Jenny's driving wasn't perfect. But at least it wasn't that reckless mess Ichabod Crane considered safe enough. (Really if the world was supposed to come to an end all the demons had to do was sit back and wait till her fellow Witness finally crashed them into a tree or a stone wall.) There really wasn't any possible excuse. Not after Jenny had managed to talk Crane into joining "the fun". He'd probably wear his yoga outfit, given that he had no further use for it and she very much doubted he felt inclined to expose more skin to them than was absolutely necessary. 

When they'd settled on the picnic blanket, sharing a bottle of lemon-water, Crane turned to her, looking concerned.

"Are you unwell, Leftenant?"

She touched her forehead. "Just a headache. It'll pass." It wasn't a lie, more of an exaggeration. Somewhere between the heat and the stress of trying to find an excuse not to join them swimming she really was feeling a bit headachy. She regarded the man, feeling thankful that he provided her with a potential excuse.

Who cared that strictly speaking it should be Agent now? And who cared when Jenny dug up childhood memories she didn't particularly want shared in present company? It was good to be back home. To be back where she belonged. With the people who belonged into her life. Or at least a small fraction of those. The most essential fraction. She smiled at Jenny and then glanced at Crane, knowing that randomly punching his shoulder every time she thought of those nine months would grow old quickly. And it really wasn't something Jenny and Joey had to watch. 

"Last one in..." Jenny started, peeling off her clothes to reveal that she'd come fully prepared.

"I believe your sister and I shall take a..." Crane searched one of the terms he'd overheard and knew how to use but hadn't really included into his active vocabulary.

"A rain check?" Abbie supplied, helpfully, never happier to find Crane trying to make decisions that concerned the two of them without discussing the matter with her first.

Jenny's expression told her that she would argue the matter, but the fourth member of their little outing had different plans, peeling off his clothes to reveal that he'd come equally prepared and offering Jenny just the sort of challenging look that made it impossible for her to stay behind and argue. It almost felt like taking the kids to the lake and watch them run off while you prayed for a few minutes of peace and quiet. 

Crane sat silently beside her for a while, watching the lake. When he turned his brow was furrowed 

"If we were to join them I would remain beside you."

She looked at him. "What?"

"I wouldn't let you out of my sight. Not for a moment. You would be quite safe, I promise."

"You think I'm scared I'll drown?"

"Miss Jenny has mentioned you were quite fond of swimming when you were younger. And it is evident that you are uncomfortable with the thought today. After what happened with Mary... I just want you to know that it wouldn't happen again. But it is your choice."

"I'm fine, Crane. I just don't..." 

"There is something you're not telling me."

"Like what? That about a year ago I turned into a mermaid and I can't stay in the water for long or it'll show?"

"That appears to be rather specific for a potential scenario."

"Newsflash. Mermaids are real. Any questions?"


End file.
